What a disappointment

Tom Keats wrote:
In article ,
"Edward Dolan" writes:
Ed Dolan the Great is here merely to keep the place cleansed of liberal
scofflaws. Saint Edward the Great only shows up when moral matters are
broached. He is a Great Saint and has no tolerance for sinful thoughts,
words or deeds here on ARBR.

Y'mean like daring to ride a /real/ bicycle?

Y'know what? I've heard of women recumbent riders,
but I've never seen any. Whuzzup with that?

The percentage of women recumbent riders is about the same as women club
riders, invitational riders and racers (at least here in the Upper
Midwest) - that is, rather low.

I see lots o' women riding normal bikes. Sometimes
I even get to socially interact with them, in a
"small talk" sort of way -- usually at stoplines &
stoplights.

Many women get tired of being "hit on", so I never initiate the
conversation while riding, unless it is someone I already know.

But the few recumbent riders I encounter are always
men, and they don't wanna talk to anybody. I dunno
if they're antisocial, or just too embarrassed to
talk to anybody. Or maybe they're just a bunch of
shy, underconfident nerds?

Many upright riders would rather pretend that recumbents do not exist,
so I will not hinder their attempt (in real life - Usenet is different).
N.b. to Jobst Brandt.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"the grinning buddy bear carries a fork." - g.d.

In article ,
Tom Sherman writes:

I see lots o' women riding normal bikes. Sometimes
I even get to socially interact with them, in a
"small talk" sort of way -- usually at stoplines &
stoplights.

Many women get tired of being "hit on", so I never initiate the
conversation while riding, unless it is someone I already know.

It's not a matter of hitting on anybody. The women are
often the conversation initiators. I guess it's just the
typical gregariousness of cyclists at play. And my main
bike is quite identifiable, so I guess I'm getting to be
a known quantity and a familiar sight on Vancouver streets.

But the few recumbent riders I encounter are always
men, and they don't wanna talk to anybody. I dunno
if they're antisocial, or just too embarrassed to
talk to anybody. Or maybe they're just a bunch of
shy, underconfident nerds?

Many upright riders would rather pretend that recumbents do not exist,
so I will not hinder their attempt (in real life - Usenet is different).
N.b. to Jobst Brandt.

I "get" that it's the other way around -- the local
recumbent riders here are off in their own private
Idahos, and seem to turn their noses up at upright
riders. But I guess that's only natural, since we
tower over 'em :-)

Maybe if I attended a CM ride I could get to meet &
socialize with some recumbent riders. Maybe even
some women recumbent riders.


cheers,
Tom

--
Nothing is safe from me.
I'm really at:
tkeats curlicue vcn dot bc dot ca

still just me wrote:

Well, it is possible to have a conversation and not "hit on" a woman.
You can also have a conversation and find out if you have anything in
common and then just ask someone if they want to meet you for coffee
or whatever. That's not "hitting", it's just "meeting". They accept or
decline, life goes on.

Or (sorry if this sounds a bit radical...) you could just exchange
greetings and minor pleasantries of the sort that just oil the world on
its way, irrespective of the sex of the other rider! You could think of
the other rider as "person on bike" rather than "man" or "woman"...

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

"still just me" wrote

'bent riders are at the wrong height to converse,

Perhaps a low racer recumbent side-by-side with an 'ordinary' might present
a
challenge to easily audible exchanges. But for less extreme combinations,
many of us manage conversation quite well while riding in "mixed" groups
of uprights and recumbents...

I'm not a "frame-ist." Some of my best friends ride uprights... %^)

Jon

Jon Meineke wrote:
"still just me" wrote
'bent riders are at the wrong height to converse,

Perhaps a low racer recumbent side-by-side with an 'ordinary' might present
a challenge to easily audible exchanges....

butbutbut, I want to know what the weather is like up there!

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"the grinning buddy bear carries a fork." - g.d.

marika who? wrote:
"still just me" wrote in message
...

That would prevent me from hitting on the women!


of all people

how's are they different from any other cranks...

Speaking of cranks, I am thinking of trying some in the 150-155 mm
length range on one of my bicycles.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"Localized intense suction such as tornadoes is created when temperature
differences are high enough between meeting air masses, and can impart
excessive energy onto a cyclist." - Randy Schlitter

"Tom Sherman" wrote in message
...
marika who? wrote:
"still just me" wrote in message
...

That would prevent me from hitting on the women!


of all people

how's are they different from any other cranks...

Speaking of cranks, I am thinking of trying some in the 150-155 mm length
range on one of my bicycles.


Wow, and I thought *I* was short!

"Resound" wrote:

"Tom Sherman" wrote

Speaking of cranks, I am thinking of trying some in the 150-155 mm length
range on one of my bicycles.


Wow, and I thought *I* was short!

It's an error to conclude anything about Tom's height from his crank
length. Short cranks are rather useful when the BB is infront of the
hips instead of below. Faster speed but lower torque can result in
similar power output but with less strain on the joints.

Ted

--
Ted Bennett

Ted Bennett wrote:
"Resound" wrote:

"Tom Sherman" wrote

Speaking of cranks, I am thinking of trying some in the 150-155 mm length
range on one of my bicycles.

Wow, and I thought *I* was short!

It's an error to conclude anything about Tom's height from his crank
length. Short cranks are rather useful when the BB is infront of the
hips instead of below. Faster speed but lower torque can result in
similar power output but with less strain on the joints.

Exactly! At least many recumbent riders report preferring shorter cranks
on a recumbent than they would want on an upright.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
"Localized intense suction such as tornadoes is created when temperature
differences are high enough between meeting air masses, and can impart
excessive energy onto a cyclist." - Randy Schlitter

"Tom Sherman" wrote in message
...
Ted Bennett wrote:
"Resound" wrote:

"Tom Sherman" wrote

Speaking of cranks, I am thinking of trying some in the 150-155 mm
length range on one of my bicycles.

Wow, and I thought *I* was short!

It's an error to conclude anything about Tom's height from his crank
length. Short cranks are rather useful when the BB is infront of the
hips instead of below. Faster speed but lower torque can result in
similar power output but with less strain on the joints.

Exactly! At least many recumbent riders report preferring shorter cranks
on a recumbent than they would want on an upright.

Too much spin, no forward motion; not enough spin, also no forward motion.
Get it right or get lost!

Mr. Sherman is frequently exact about many things, but that has never
prevented him from being wrong about everything.

Regards,

Ed Dolan the Great - Minnesota
aka
Saint Edward the Great - Order of the Perpetual Sorrows - Minnesota